According to Vice Director of the Ben En National Park Management Board Nguyen Dinh Hieu,forest rangers of the unit have focused on conducting surveys and assessments related tothe distribution and the habitat of, and identifying threats to rodent specieswithin local forests. They have also collaborated with relevant units to takephotographs and collect samples of rare species to serve the investigation andmonitoring work.
Training courses and conferences to improve capacity and awarenessof biodiversity conservation for officials and residents have been organised,he said.
Forest rangers distributed 1,500 leaflets introducing somerodent species; developed conservation plans and distribution maps; and implemented breeding models of bamboo rats.
The scientific task is expected to help the management board conserveendangered wildlife species and attract visitors, thus generating jobs forlocal residents and contributing to the locality’s biodiversity conservationefforts.
Statistics from the management board show that among the newlydiscovered rodent species, the hairy-footed flying squirrel (Belomys pearsonii) and the blackgiant squirrel (Ratufa bicolor) are rare and critically endangered specieslisted in Vietnam’s Red Book.
The project is hoped to produce important results serving researchon the distribution, habitat preferences, diet and ecological characteristicsof rodent species, thus building plans and proposing effective conservationmeasures for rodent species at the Ben En National Park./.